Drug Case Hailed As Warning

May 11, 1986|United Press International

MIAMI -- Prosecutors are hailing the convictions of three drug smugglers extradited from Colombia as a warning to others in the trade they can no longer hide from the law simply by leaving the United States.

U.S. District Judge Alcee Hastings set June 26 for sentencing Jose Jader Alvarez Moreno, Ricardo Pabon-Jatter and Said Pabon-Jatter. They were convicted Friday of various counts of racketeering, conspiracy and cocaine smuggling.

During the four-month trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Myles Malman and Susan Tarbe presented dozens of witnesses and hundreds of pieces of evidence. Included was a wiretap recording in which Alvarez, 40, was called ``The Godfather`` of international drug smuggling.

Malman and Tarbe said it was one of South Florida`s most significant narcotics cases.